


time has brought your heart to me (you and i and we, forever)

by EllaYuki



Category: CLAMP - Works, Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle
Genre: Domestic, Feels, Fluff, KuroFai Week, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:55:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 3,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27688586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EllaYuki/pseuds/EllaYuki
Summary: They live, and they love, and they grow, and for once, time is on their side.KuroFai Week 2020
Relationships: Fay D. Fluorite/Kurogane
Comments: 7
Kudos: 30





	1. Day 1 - Old

"I had a plan, you know," Fai says, his long fingers carding gently through Kurogane's hair. "For when your hair started to go gray." He plucks at a dark strand of hair, tugs at it, his nose wrinkling in slight (adorable) annoyance. "It involved lots of jokes, lots of teasing. As always, you're a plan ruiner, Kuro-sama."

Kurogane snorts. Even after so many years, the mage can still be such a drama queen. "Not my fault your old age is starting to show before mine, mage." He side-eyes him, and reaches over to tug at the lock of silver hair by the side of Fai's face. 

Fai's eyes cross and then screw shut for a second. His nose wrinkles further. "Hey!" He swats, huffily indignant, at Kurogane's hand. " _ Rude _ , Kuro-grampa."

Kurogane can't help laughing at that, because that's rich, coming from Fai. He tugs at that silver lock again, and then cups the back of Fai's head with his other hand, pulls him closer. There are lines now, at the corners of those beautiful blue-and-gold eyes, deep ones that speak of a long life spent laughing. In contrast, the lines on Fai's forehead, the frown ones that used to mar his beautiful face, are all but invisible most days. 

Fai huffs again, and threads his fingers through the ones in his hair, brings Kurogane's hand to his lips. "I never thought," he murmurs against his skin, and it sounds like a confession to Kurogane's ears. "When I was young.  _ Before _ . I never thought I would grow old next to someone. I never even  _ hoped _ I would find someone I would want to grow old with. Well, other than my brother." Lightly, reverently, he kisses every knuckle of Kurogane's hand. "Thank you for giving me this, Kuro-sama."

And, well, what can Kurogane do, when his husband acts as nostalgic as the old grandfather he is? "Stop talking like you're about to kick the bucket," he says and drags Fai into his lap. "We're not  _ that _ old, you idiot."

He leans up and kisses the lines at the corner of Fai's golden eye. "We still have a long life ahead of us."


	2. Day 2 - Seasons

The first spring after he and Kurogane move to Nihon, Fai spends it acquainting himself with a new language, a new culture, a new way of life. It's thrilling, honestly, in a way Fai had feared he'd never get to experience, and it's also terrifying. 

"We could settle somewhere else," Kurogane tells him sometime in the first month, when he finds Fai struggling with some new custom, nerves fried, and agitated beyond measure. He kisses Fai's hair, and Fai loves him tremendously. 

"No, Kurorin," Fai says, certain and stubborn. After everything they've faced, he won't let something as silly as not getting a particular sequence of bows in a specific order or whatever ruin the bright new start of this new beginning. "I'm happy here."

~

Their third summer in Nihon, they spend elbows deep in rebuilding Suwa. Or rather, the part of it that Kurogane was born and raised in.

Well, not that Kurogane has any intention of moving there permanently. There are too many memories, too many ghosts in that place, which will never move on; not for him, at least. Fai understands.

But his childhood home has been a wasteland for far too long, and Kurogane wants to see it back to its former glory, if at least somewhat. 

"I could rebuild the wards, too," Fai suggests one sweltering evening, as they sit on the half-done porch of the main house. "Make them strong and self-sufficient."

Kurogane doesn't look at him, but Fai can sense his interest, for all that the ninja's face betrays nothing. "Mn. Yeah, that sounds good."

~

They spend the better part of their twelfth autumn since settling in Nihon fighting off invading armies.

The new king of a neighbouring country thinks he can get his hands on Amaterasu's lands easily, because " _ what do women know about ruling?"  _ Kurogane downright laughs, out loud and in front of half the royal court, when the missive first arrives, and Fai agrees with the sentiment. 

"Ah, this brings back memories," Fai throws himself back on his campaign bed, bones popping, muscles aching. "At least this time around the food is better."

Kurogane snorts at that. "At least this time around we don't have to pretend you're mute, it makes things so much easier," he says, and  _ ouch, wow, rude, Kuro-pon, _ it's not like it was Fai's fault he couldn't understand a lick of Yama's language. Fai tackles him for that, and they go down giggling and groaning.

~

It's during their twenty-third winter that they welcome a new addition to their family. 

They're in Suwa, a rare vacation, when one evening the head maid arrives with a basket. "Found them by the temple," she says. "Poor things abandoned. I couldn't just leave them."

The twins are newborn, dark haired and dark eyed, and red in the face with crying of hunger and cold. Kurogane picks one of them up, gentle, careful, and Fai feels something squeeze at his heart. 

"Let's keep them, Kuro-sama," he says as he picks up the other child. The babe quiets down instantly in his embrace. "They will need a home, a family. We can…" He licks his lips. Looks up at Kurogane.

And finds Kurogane already looking back at him, something indecipherable in his crimson eyes. "Yeah," the ninja answers, voice low but sure. "Yeah." And he looks back down at the little bundle cradled in his arms. "But you're the one breaking the news to Tomoyo. She's going to be annoying about it, so you're the one dealing with it."

Fai laughs at that. "Yes, Kuro-sama. Alright."

_ Alright _ .


	3. Day 3 - Sweet & Spicy

"I'm going to regret this, aren't I?" Kurogane asks, eyeing the various dishes spread out in front of him. They _look_ mostly appetizing, and he knows the mage is a good cook, but there is something about the whole thing that makes him slightly uneasy. 

The fact that Fai has spent the better half of the day in the palace kitchens with Tomoyo doesn't help with the foreboding feeling creeping over him.

Fai looks at him from where he's laying down the last of the plates. "What do you mean?" he asks, and it _sounds_ honest enough. If only there wasn't that smile that seems to be tugging at his mouth. If only there wasn't that glint of mischief in his mismatched eyes. 

Kurogane knows better. "I trust you and that princess to behave about as much as I trust the White Bun to not be irritating."

Fai huffs, cheeks puffing. "The lack of faith my own husband has in me." He pops a piece of… something, small and reddish, in his mouth. "You _wound_ me, Kuro-sama."

Kurogane rolls his eyes at the theatrics. "So," he says, instead of calling Fai out on his bullshit. "What's all this about?"

Fai smiles at that, and sits up straight. "The princess and I have been trying some things out, for the end of the year celebrations." He gestures towards the low table. "I thought you should try some, see if there's anything you like."

And it sounds nice, it sounds thoughtful. 

Kurogane doesn't trust it one whit. 

"Alright," he concedes anyway. "Let's see."

And it's… not as bad as he'd initially thought. There are all kinds of flavours and textures to the bite-sized morsels, some of them surprisingly good if Kurogane has to admit. Fai really is a good cook. 

All his good thoughts about the whole thing screech to a halt when he bites into what looks like a simple chocolate crescent. 

At first, when he pops it into his mouth, fruity, sugary sweetness spreads over his tongue, soft and more bearable than the rest of the things he's tasted so far. 

And then, his mouth is _on fire_.

"What _the hell!"_ He scrambles for the water pitcher, not even bothering to pour himself a cup, just gulping half of it down. "What the hell, mage?" He turns towards his cackling husband, who's dropped the innocent act and is laughing his ass off. 

"Oh, Kurorin," he manages between guffaws. "Oh, you should've seen your _face!"_

Kurogane drinks some more water, eyes stinging. "I'm gonna kick your ass for this!"

Fai doesn't even pretend to be scared, just stands and takes off, still giggling like a madman. "You'll have to catch me first!"

And _oh_ , if that isn't a challenge. 

Kurogane finishes his water and gives chase.


	4. Day 4 - Haunting

"There's no such thing." 

Kurogane looks at him, eyebrow raised, every single inch of his face screaming a disbelieving  _ 'seriously?'. _ "Really, mage?" 

Fai shakes his head stubbornly. "Honestly, Kuro-sama," he says, exasperated himself. "Ghosts are… They're a myth, a fairy tale. Something parents use on occasion to scare their children. They don't  _ truly _ exist." At least, that has been the case in both Valeria and Celes, and in every world they've visited in their travels (well, that he knows of, anyway).

Fai refuses to  _ believe- _ "Yeah, well," Kurogane snorts at him (which,  _ rude _ , and also? unnecessary), interrupting his train of thought. "They do,  _ here _ ," he explains, arms crossing in front of his chest. "If there's lingering resentment or regret when a person dies, if there's  _ too much _ of it, that person's spirit can latch onto this world instead of passing into rest. And it's rarely anything other than a pain in the ass for everyone involved."

It does make sense, yes, and it aligns with what little knowledge he has of the phenomenon, but still, Fai can't help but find the whole concept too… outlandish. He shakes his head. 

Kurogane groans. "Come on, after everything we've seen, everything we've _gone through,_ _ghosts_ are the things you draw the line at?" He rolls his eyes, and Fai wants to poke him, hard, for it. "Because haunting the place you died a lonely death, or the person who gruesomely murdered you is _such_ a far-fetched idea."

It's…  _ well _ , it is and it isn't, Fai has to admit. He shrugs. "Fine, alright, so. How do we banish it?"


	5. Day 5 - Memories

Kurogane opens his eyes to a white so bright and yet so bleak that it hurts to look at. 

It's cold, a snowstorm blowing from somewhere behind him, big flakes sticking to his hair, to his lashes, and the harsh wind whipping his cloak almost clear off his body.

He looks around himself, and at first, he can't tell what feels off about this place. 

He seems to be at the bottom of a giant crater of some sort, the wall high enough to make him feel dizzy, and there's… a tower high enough to touch the skies in front of him…

His frown deepens. Somehow, this feels… familiar. He can't quite put his finger on why, or how, but it's like he's been here before, or like he's seen this place in a dream. 

He walks, and it's hard. The blizzard is making even the simple act of breathing difficult. 

He only manages a few steps before his foot catches on something, and he almost goes down with the momentum. When he checks to see what's tripped him, his breath catches in his throat. 

An arm, slim like a woman's, sticking out from under a pile of snow. There's a smaller foot peeking out from that same mound, and Kurogane feels like he's going to be sick.

And in an instant, he's absolutely certain of where he is. The valley, the tower, the snow,  _ the bodies _ …

He hurriedly picks his way closer to the bottom of the tower, where corpses have been piled as high as they can go, and he searches. 

And he almost misses the scrawny, barely breathing figure sprawled on its side, eyes open and blank, and still so, so blue.

"Mage," Kurogane breathes, and steps closer. Fai doesn't flinch, doesn't blink, doesn't seem to even be aware of Kurogane's presence there. "Fa-" Kurogane starts, but stops himself, before he tries again. "Yuui." He tries to touch the boy's shoulder, but his hand goes right through him. "Yuui," he says again, softer. Yuui doesn't acknowledge him in the least.

"Is this… Is this your memory? Like with the kid and that book in Lecourt?" He looks around them. It has to be. He doesn't remember touching anything like that, though. Oh, well.

"...ie," comes the faintest of whispers, and it's mostly drowned out by the snowstorm. Kurogane bends over so he can try to catch whatever it is the mage-  _ no, no, this isn't the mage yet, not yet. Yuui. This is still Yuui _ . He regrets wanting to hear almost immediately. "I want to die. Please. Just let me die."

Kurogane's lungs freeze in his chest, heart pounding like a wardrum in his ears. Now he remembers. He's seen this place, bits of it anyway, in Celes, when Ashura showed them Fai's past. This is the valley where he and his brother were imprisoned by their mad king uncle.

He looks at the small, fragile thing that the mage used to be, and feels… not pity, but sorrow, and rage, and helplessness. He can't do anything to help the boy.

He won't be able to do anything for him for… who knows how long. 

The only he can do now, is lean over him, and talk (useless though he knows it is). "Don't worry," he says. "You'll get out of here one day. You'll have a family who adores you one day. The pain will be bearable one day. You'll be warm, and you'll live, and you'll love and be loved."

He wants to throw his cloak over that slim figure, wants to gather Yuui close and keep his fears at bay. He can't. Instead, he just talks. 

~

When he opens his eyes again, to his bedroom ceiling, and to Fai's warmth next to him, he looks at the mage and wonders if that was just a dream, or if he somehow stumbled into a memory. 

Either way, careful so as to not wake the mage, he gathers Fai into his arms, now that he can, and whispers all the words he'd said to the lonely child Fai used to be into the soft hair of the adult he has become.


	6. Day 6 - Flowers

Here are some things Fai never thought he'd ever live to experience: a day where he could look out the window and see something other than snow as far as the eye can see, the happiness of holding a child he could call his own in his arms, a morning where he would wake up and not feel his brother's loss like a piece of his soul was missing. 

Getting married. Seeing his children marry. Falling asleep knowing that not only he, but Kurogane and the kids as well are warm and happy and living a life of their choosing. 

...or this, sitting on the porch outside his and Kurogane's rooms in Shirasagi Castle, a content smile on his face, basking in the early morning sun, Kurogane's hands carefully brading small, colorful flowers into his hair. 

"This is nice," slips out on a blissful sigh.

Kurogane hums, leaning over to pick a small, frost-blue blossom from the tray next to Fai's thigh. A kiss brushes against Fai's shoulder, and it makes him giggle.

Fai lifts a hand and, without looking, runs his fingers over the flowers next to him. He picks one up, brings it to his face. Its petals are soft, a pinkish white, and it smells almost sweet. 

It reminds him of Sakura-chan, pure and bright, lovely.

His smile widens.

"Kuro-sama," he says, eyes closed and face turned towards the sunrise. "Thank you."

Kurogane's hands still, for the briefest of moments, before he slides another bloom into place. "Don't be an idiot," he says, and Fai can hear the smile on his face.

He doesn't think he's ever felt more peaceful than this.


	7. Day 7 - Vulnerability

He gasps awake, pain shooting up his shoulder and throughout his entire body from the still healing remains of his left arm.

He grits his teeth against the agony. There's no need to wake the whole palace. 

When the wave of fire subsides enough for him to breathe properly again, Kurogane looks to his side where Fai sleeps, huddled into a tight ball at the very edge of the futon. His face is smushed into his pillow, hair that looks almost silver in the moonlight a messy halo around his head.

Kurogane wonders if he'll be able to keep this. At the end of this journey, when all things are said and done and that asshole who ruined their lives is dead, will he be able to return to his home and have a normal life with this mad, beautiful man? He likes to believe that he can. 

He hasn't asked the mage yet. 

Hasn't had the time so far, and well, it's maybe a bit too early, they're still healing, they're still mending this fragile, vulnerable thing between them. They're still…

No, Kurogane will wait. There's no rush.

He breathes, the last dredges of pain finally leaving, and turns ever so slightly towards Fai. Reaches over and brushes a few locks of hair away from the mage's face. Thinks about how light a sleeper Fai usually is, and how dead to the world he is now, laying next to Kurogane.

He smiles, and closes his eyes.

Sleep comes easily.


	8. Day 8 - Free Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: An instance of self harm as is usually the case when Kurogane feeds Fai.

"It's not  _ hunger _ ," Fai hisses, eyes narrowing in annoyance. "Honestly, Kuro-sama. I already told you I don't need your blood anymore-"

Kurogane, because he is Kurogane, and he lives to be contrary and probably to give Fai premature gray hairs, cuts him off. "No one said anything about you needing it, or you being hungry, you idiot." Slowly, carefully, he drags the edge of the small blade in his metal hand over his fleshy wrist. "But if you crave it enough for you to flash your damn fangs in front of the  _ entire royal court-" _

Fai bristles. "That was a one-off and you know it. I haven't lost control like that ever before, you can't just-"

But Kurogane just rolls his eyes _ (which, really, still rude, Kurorin, still rude), _ and shoves his bleeding wrist into Fai's mouth. "Shut up and drink, you stubborn mule," he says, calm as anything. Fai just glares at him petulantly, gulping down salty, iron-y goodness  _ (ugh) _ . "I don't care why you did it. I actually thought it was hilarious, the way that asshole prince looked like he lost half his lifespan right then and there. But Tomoyo and Amaterasu need us to play nice with our guests, the Gods only know why, so that means you  _ not going feral _ at an official banquet just because I nicked my finger."

Fai feels a little bit ashamed at that. It's true, he had lost control at the scent of Kurogane's blood, probably because he hasn't had any in… a couple of years maybe? And apparently the vampiric traces left in him were starved or something. Still, he doesn't think it warranted Kuropon picking him up like a stray cat and dragging him back to their rooms the way he did. 

He takes one final mouthful, and pulls away, licking the wound closed. "That was both mean and unnecessary, you know," he says around a pout. 

Kurogane snorts, "if you say so," and Fai wants to pounce and maybe throttle him a little. "You feeling better now?"

Fai takes a deep breath, licks his teeth, and focuses on the rush of blood and magic under his skin. "Yes," he answers, honest. 

Kurogane smiles. "Good." 

And somehow, it is.


End file.
